Chapter 29: Revelation (11)

Overlooking the western training field of Everbright's estate where the capital knights joined the Everbright knights for a local excursion, Juda clasped his hands behind his back. He was standing by a large window in a guest room reserved for high ranking figures, his expression fraught with doubt. 

Juda's brow twitched. "...a coincidence," he muttered. 

He still couldn't get over how Noah had managed to convince him to lend the capital knights for a noble cause and a favor from Everbright. 

One moment Juda had been adamant on maintaining the terms of his wager against Noah and staying in Everbright, and in the next he was lending his contingency of knights for a matter of utmost urgency…

It didn't make sense. 

Juda knit his brows. He was not a stupid man, rather, he considered himself rather astute. 

But this was oddly different. 

It started with small things purposely said within the range of only Juda's senses, but it caused no small amount of suspicion when these small things began to add up. 

Moreover, Noah was being deliberate. He knew that Juda would observe him carefully after the matter with the Duke and the duel, and he was using it to his advantage. 

Noah knew Juda was nearby and could hear him even when there was no one around. 

"Be careful of the third floorboard in the hall. It will break if you step over it in front of the other Knights and tarnish your image." 

"One of your knights is a drunkard who will cause trouble for Everbight's maids and butlers."

"I'd be careful about mentioning the capital to the Duchess while the Duke is undergoing treatment…well, if you don't want to be given stale bread and rye." 

Juda grumbled inwardly, somewhat awestruck by Noah's level of observational skill for a period before even that began to change. 

As helpful as Noah was being with his suggestions, there were other things that couldn't be explained with mere observations. 

"A crow will roost on your window, do not shoo it away. It will trade useful items for shiny junk." 

Curious, Juda placed fool's gold in the very crow nest Noah talked about, and sure enough, after a night's rest he awoke to see a rare purple moss useful as diuretic to flush out poison from the body in the fake gold's place. 

"If the Duchess comes with an offer for a toast, do not refuse it out of urgency to return to the capital." 

"Avoid red meat this evening if you wish to prevent a resurgence of gout the following morning."

"By noon your capital knights will pick a fight with the Everbright knights which will deteriorate relations in the Ducal estate." 

Speculation began to build day after day until Juda realized everything Noah said would happen was happening. 

Juda had tried not following the suggestions, but all led to unfavorable results. 

Juda shuddered as he subtly began to paint a picture in his mind. 

A Seer-type ability…? 

The ramifications were already causing palpitations in Juda's body. 

The most confounding thing was that Noah refused to confirm the uniqueness of his own Gemstone ability beyond its healing properties. It was confounding, but evidence speaks louder than words. 

Noah continued his subtle means of influence for several hours in a single day. 

After two days of deliberation over the issue, Noah had spontaneously asked to borrow the capital knights for an urgent matter, and here Juda stood now at present; dazed and dumbfounded after he agreed so easily. 

No really. 

He wasn't so easy to sway. 

Juda knit his brows and huffed. 

Was he?